Shoe pressing machine



-v. A. VDOLEK 2,996,739 SHOE PRESSING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 22, 1961 Filed Aug. 22, 1958 51 11a fig 1.51

Filed Aug. 22, 1958, Ser. No. 756,606 Claims priority, application Canada Dec. 27, 1957 5 Claims. (Cl. '12-33) The present invention relates to improvements in shoe pressing machines particularly those of the type described in my oopending United States patent application Serial No. 690,752 filed October 17, 1957, and entitled Shoe Pressing Machines.

More particularly, this application relates to a machine for pressing laminated footwear which includes a frame, a shoe pressing receptacle fixedly attached to the frame, and a resilient expansible pressing means or diaphragm mounted within said shoe pressing receptacle, said diaphragm being shaped to roughly define a shoe-shaped cavity that is open at its upper end. A last-supporting means is movably mounted within the receptacle for accommodating a last having a lasted shoe with an untreated sole and foxing thereon so as to be within the diaphragm or elastic wall, and a pivotally movable cover is provided to close into engagement with the diaphragm or elastic wall and the sole of the lasted shoe.

nited StateSPatent O Locking means hold the cover tightly closed, so that A the lasted shoe is contained within an air-tight pressing cavity and a pressure medium is utilized to apply the diaphragm or elastic wall tightly against the lasted shoe, effectively pressing the shoe components together.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine that will eliminate any possible slippage of the diaphragm or elastic Wall against the shoe during the pressing operation. In eliminating such slippage, wrinkling or other deforming of the shoe is obviated. A further object of my invention is to permit pressing'of lasted shoes of various sizes without exchanging any of the component parts of the machine.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a laminated footwear pressing machine including a frame, a shoe treating receptacle contained within said frame, an expansible pressing means mounted within the shoe treating receptacle, and a pivotally movable pressing means adapted to engage with said expansible pressing means to thus define a pressing cavity, a last-supporting means or pressure driven elevator piston being accommodated at least partly within said shoe-treating receptacle, said receptacle having an opening therein through which pressure medium can be introduced into the space between the shoe-treating receptacle and the expansible pressing means, there being an opening between the shoe treating receptacle and the said piston so that pressure medium can enter the space between the piston and the receptacle to elevate the last-supporting means and vents are provided between the pressing cavity and the exterior of the machine.

Further and more specific objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view partly in vertical section and partly in elevation illustrating the shoe pressing machine of the invention in closed condition but prior to the introduction of pressuremedium behind the pressing elementand with the shoe components shown in elevation, FIGURE 2.is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view similar to FIGURE 1, but illustrating only the receptacle, pressing means and cover with the expansible pressing means applied against the lasted shoe components and the last-supporting means elevated, the shoe components being shown in elevation.

The machine shown in FIGURE 1 includes a frame F having an opening from which is suspended a shoe-treating receptacle 106 that is adapted to be closed by a cover 100 which is pivotally mounted at 101 to frame bracket B secured to the side of the frame shown at 102. The opening and closing mechanism for the cover 100 is generally indicated at 103 and comprises a pneumatic or hydraulic piston and cylinder unit of a conventional type. A cover locking means is indicated generally at 104. The cover 100 is provided on its underside with a liner to which is secured a resilient pad 105. The pad 105 constitutes a pressing means carried by the cover and may be of sponge rubber and shaped to be either fiat, as shown, or slightly preshaped to the form of a shoe sole, the dimensions of the pad being such that it will be at least slightly longer than the length of the sole of any shoe to be treated.

As stated, the shoe treating receptacle 106 is suspended from the top of frame F and is attached thereto by any suitable means, not shown. When the cover 100 is in open position, it will be apparent that a lasted shoe may readily be placed in or removed from the receptacle 106.

The shoe treating receptacle 106 includes a lower end having a shaped opening therein opposite the rim of the receptacle. Depending beneath the lower end of the receptacle is a last-supporting means accommodating chamber or housing 107. This housing has a base containing two longitudinally aligned apertures which accommodate upstanding guide pins that are secured to the base of the housing 107 by bolts and lock nuts 109. A last-supporting means or piston 110 is partially contained within said housing 107 and partially within receptacle 106. An apertured plate 111 attached to the bottom of the piston 110 slidably receives and guides on pin 108 by means of bearings 111A. The guide pins are accom- -modated in suitable cavities 110A provided in the piston 110. There are heads 108A on each of guide pins 108 to prevent accidental removal of the piston 110 from the housing 107. The opening in the base 113 in the receptacle is shaped as shown in FIGURE 2 to provide for bearing surfaces 112 arranged in opposed pairs and adapted to embrace portions of the periphery of the piston 110.

An expansible pressing. means in the form of a dia phragm or elastic wall 114 of material such as rubber, and which is shaped to roughly define a shoe-shaped cavity is mounted within the receptacle 106 and has its lower lip 117 sealed to the upper surface of piston 110.

' To eifectthis sealing, a clamping plate 115 is removably attached to the top surface of piston by any suitable means such as bolts 116. The plate is grooved on its undersurface and clamps the lower lip 117 of diaphragm 114 securely to the upper surface of the piston 110. A bead 117A is provided around the lower opening or lip of the diaphragm 114 for accommodation in the groove on the undersurface of plate 115 and thus prevents the lip 117 from escaping from under the plate 115.

The diaphragm 114 is provided at its upper open end with an upper rim including a horizontal flange 118 and a downwardly turned lip 119, with the horizontal flange 118 resting on a sealing ring 120, and the downturned lip 119 being a firmly gripped by a retaining ring 121, the ring 121 encompassing a lip 106A of the receptacle 106. The sealing ring 120 is fixed on the inside edge of the upper lip 106A of the wall of the receptacle 106. When the cover 100 is closed and locked it also serves 3 to clamp the horizontal flange 118 against the sealing ring 120.

A diaphragm protector of leather or any suitable material, not shown, may be clamped between the retaining ring 121 and the outer surface of the downwardly turned lip 119 of the diaphragm 114 and extend freely over the horizontal flange 118 of the said diaphragm 114. The diaphragm protector functions to protect the diaphragm 114 at the corner between the horizontal flange 118- and the downwardly turned lip 119.

A last 122 is adapted to be removably attached to plate 115 and piston 110. A guide pin 123 projects downwardly from last 122 and is adapted to be accommodated in a hole passing through plate 115 in alignment with a bore extending into the upper surface. of piston 110. A further guide, pin 124 projects upwardly from plate 115 and is adapted to be received in a bore 125 drilled in the last 122.

A shoe 126 is shown mounted on the last 122.

The receptacle 106 has an opening 127 from which extends a conduit 172 leading to a source of fluid under pressure shown generally at S. A valve V permits fluid to flow under pressure into the space between the inner surface of the receptacle and the outer surface of the diaphragm 114. This valve is such that the fluid can be released from this space as desired. The fluid accommodating chamber within the receptacle is denoted at 128 and the inner periphery of the opening through the base 113 of the receptacle is shaped to provide vertically extending passageways 131 disposed between adjacent bearing surfaces 112 so that air or fluid under pressure can flow from the chamber 128 through the passageways 131 into the space 129 beneath the piston 110 to elevate the same and a lasted shoe carried by the piston to press the sole 126a of such shoe against the undersurface of the pad 105 carried by the cover 100. A vent opening 130 passes through the cover and its lining so that air that may be trapped within the diaphragm 114 can escape into the interior of the hollow cover and thence through further vents 130a to the exterior of the machine.

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 1 with the machine in operative position with pressure applied and the diaphragm 11.4 compressed against the lasted shoe 126. It will be seen that the pressure in pressure chamber 128 and space 129 has elevated the piston 110 and hence the lasted shoe 126 so that sole 126a of the lasted shoe is pressed tightly against the pad 105.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

With the cover 100 open, the operator places the shoe 126 built up on the last 122, with rubber sole 126a and foxing 12Gb having been positioned in preceding opera-. tions. The cover 100 is then closed and locked. Air pressure in chamber 128 is then increased by allowing compressed air or any fluid medium to enter through opening 127, thus pressing diaphragm 114 toward the lasted shoe 126. Pressure is simultaneously built up in the space 129 in said piston housing 107 by Way of the passageways 131 between bearings 112. As the pressure increases, the piston 110 moves upwardly in bearings 112, thus raising the lasted shoe 126 until the sole 126a is pressed against the pad 105. At the same time the pressure in chamber 128 is pressing the diaphragm 114 toward the lasted shoe 126 and is forcing the air contained within the diaphragm 114 out through the vents 130 and 130a in cover 100. When the sole is being pressed upwardly against the pad 105 and the pressure in chamber 128 continues to increase, the diaphragm 114 conforms to the shape of the lasted shoe pressing the shoe laminations tightly together, as well as increasing the upward pressure of the shoe sole 126a against the pad 105. The diaphragm comes into contact with all of the surfaces of the shoe with the exception of the sole or part of the sole and exerts an extreme pressure 4 thereon. The shoe is, therefore, pressed uniformly on its complete surface.

When the pressing operation is completed, the pressure is then released through opening 127 thus allowing the piston 110 and the lasted shoe thereon to lower and at the same time relaxing the diaphragm 114. The cover is then unlocked, opened and the pressed shoe removed.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for pressing laminated footwear comprising a frame, a shoe-treating receptacle within said frame, an elastic wall within said receptacle and constituting a first pressing means, a second pressing means, a support for said second pressing means, means mounting said sup ort and second pressing means for movement toward and away from said receptacle so as to expose and close the same, said support and second pressing means being cooperable with said elastic wall to define a pressing cavity, a pressure driven piston, means embodied with said piston adapted to support an inverted lasted shoe upper and sole arrangement, said piston being mounted for movement toward and away from said support and second pressing means and adapted to raise such a supported inverted lasted upper and sole arrangement so as to contact the sole with said second pressing means and to lower such a lasted upper and sole arrangement away from said second pressing means, a housing carried by said receptacle and accommodating said piston, said housing constituting a cylinder for said piston, said elastic wall being spaced from the interior of said receptacle, means connecting said elastic wall to said receptacle and means connecting said elastic wall to said piston, said receptable having an opening therein through which a flowable pressure medium can be introduced into said receptacle behind said elastic wall to press the same against a supported lasted shoe arrangement and means for guiding flowable pressure medium into said cylinder behind said piston whereby said piston and a lasted shoe arrangement carried thereby can be moved toward said support to contact the sole with said second pressing means.

2. In a machine for pressing a rubber sole to a lasted upper, wall means defining a receptacle having a base and an open end, said base having an opening therein opposite the open end, a cover for closing the open end of the receptacle, sole pressing means carried by the cover, means for moving the cover relative to the receptacle to close and open the same, an elastic wall mounted within the receptacle in spaced relation to the interior thereof, a last-supporting piston means accommodated in the opening in the base of the receptacle and guided for movement toward and away from the open end of the receptacle, means embodied with said piston and adapted to support an inverted lasted upper and sole arrangement, a housing depending from the base of the receptacle, said housing being spaced from and surrounding said piston means so as to define a chamber between the piston means and the interior of the housing, said receptacle having an opening therein through which a flowable pressure medium can be introduced behind said elastic wall so as to press the same against a supported inverted lasted upper and sole arrangement, and means for guiding flowable fluid under pressure into said housing behind said piston whereby said piston can be moved toward the open end of the receptacle so that when the cover is closed said elastic wall presses the upper and said piston means applies the sole against said sole-pressing means.

'3. In a laminated footwear pressing means of the type including a receptacle having a rim defining an open top and an apertured base, a cover, means mounting the cover for movement relative to said rim so as to close and open the receptacle, means for moving the cover between open and closed positions, a deformable sole-pressing means carried by the side of the cover adjacent said rim, a housing means depending from the base of the receptacle beneath the aperture therein, a piston accommodated the aperture in the base of the receptacle and extending partly into said housing so as to define a pressure chamber between said piston and housing, means embodied with said piston and adapted to support an inverted lasted upper and sole arrangement, a resilient, open ended diaphragm disposed within the receptacle in spaced relation to the interior thereof, means connecting one end of said diaphragm to the rim of the receptacle, means connecting the other end of said diaphragm to said piston, so that when the cover is closed a pressing cavity is defined between the cover and solepressing means and the facing surface of said diaphragm, and a fluid receiving chamber is defined between the opposite surface of said diaphragm and the interior of the receptacle, said receptable having an opening therein through which a flowable fluid under pressure can enter said fluid receiving chamber and means for guiding flowable fluid under pressure into said pressure chamber whereby with the cover closed said diaphragm is applied against a supported upper and said piston moves toward the cover to press a supported sole against said sole-pressing means.

4. In a laminated footwear pressing machine of the type including a receptacle having a rim defining an open top and a base, a cover mounted for movement relative to said rinr so as to close and open the receptacle, a solepressing means carried by the undersurface of said cover, said base having a piston-accommodating opening therein, a housing means depending beneath said opening and having greater transverse dimensions than the corresponding dimensions of [the opening, a last-supporting piston accommodated in said opening, a resilient open-ended diaphragm disposed within the receptacle in spaced relation to the interior thereof, means connecting one end of said diaphragm to said rim, means connecting the other end of said diaphragm to said piston so that when the cover is closed, a pressing cavity is defined between the cover and the adjacent surface of said diaphragm, and a pressure fluid receiving space is defined between the opposite surface of said diaphragm and the interior of said receptacle, said piston being partly within the receptacle and partly within the housing so as to define a pressure chamber between the piston and housing, said receptacle having another opening therein communicating with said pressure fluid receiving space and said piston accommodating opening in the base of said receptacle being relieved at spaced areas around the periphery of the piston so as to define fluid passageways between the housing and said pressure fluid receiving space whereby with the cover closed and an inverted upper and sole arrangement positioned on said piston, the introduction of fluid under pressure through said another opening applies said diaphragm against a supported upper and moves the piston toward the cover to press a supported sole against said sole-pressing means.

5. In a shoe component pressing machine, a frame, wall means defining a receptacle having an open top, said receptacle being carried by said frame, said wall means including a depending portion defining a cylinder, a cover adapted to cooperate with said open top to open and close said receptacle, a first pressing means carried by said cover and adapted to press the sole of a shoe, piston means movably disposed within said cylinder, said piston means being shorter than the cylinder, means embodied with said piston and adapted to support an inverted lasted upper and sole arrangement, an elastic pressing means within the receptacle in spaced relation to the wall means, separate means for connecting said elastic pressing means to said receptacle and piston, respectively, so as to define a pressure medium accommodating chamber between said wall means and the facing surface of said elastic pressing means, said wall means having an opening therein communicating with said chamber and said piston and cylinder having facing surfaces defining a clearance space therebetween so that with the cover closed admission of pressure medium into said chamber through said opening applies said elastic pressing means against the upper and said pressure medium flows through said clearance space and into said cylinder to elevate said piston so as to press a sole against said first pressing means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,337,532 Stuart Apr. 20, 1920 FOREIGN PATENTS 870,216 Germany Mar. 12, 1953 

